This subproject is designed to develop and evaluate the effects of a culturally sensitive self management intervention (LSI) against usual care (UC) on health behaviors, clinical outcomes and psychosocial factors in hypertensive AAs with CV risk factors associated with the MetS. MetS is constituted of a constellation of cardiovascular risk factors that ultimately precipitate endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is a precursor for development of CVD, its' presence and the magnitude appears to be a predictor of future adverse CV outcome, and improvement of endothelial dysfunction may signify improvement in vascular risk. It is also known that certain diets that lead to significant weight loss and exercise can improve endothelial dysfunction in subjects with obesity or a variety of other diseases. However, whether a community based self management intervention in AAs with MetS will improve the function of the vascular endothelium is unknown. To explore this further, we will examine whether endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, and arterial compliance will be improved by LSI.